I didn’t even have to hear a note—just the title, ADHD & Me, and I knew I’d feel this one in my bones. One in 10 girls and women are estimated to have ADHD, though we’re way more likely to go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years. IYKYK. So when Melbourne-based Māori pop artist Mareya dropped this little alt-pop gem about her own ADHD story, I hit play fast.
It’s perky and cute, yeah—but don’t get it twisted. This track’s got teeth. Mareya’s not here for a sob story or some faux-inspirational bullshit. She’s here to tell you the truth about living in a brain that sometimes feels like it’s running six browsers with 42 tabs open—and half of them are playing music.
“‘ADHD & Me’ is a song that encapsulates the ADHD experience while also touching on the sense of freedom I had when I finally knew what was going on with me,” Mareya says. “Knowing the reasons why I did the things I did allowed me to lift a lot of self blame… I finally had an explanation and it was like a lightbulb moment for me.”
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You hear all of that in the way this track bounces. From the jump, she’s giving us a bright, hyper-catchy melody that mirrors the chaos and charm of an ADHD mind.
“I talk too much, I overshare / I interrupt you, make you think that I don’t care.” Girl, SAME. The second those lyrics hit, I was nodding so hard I almost spilled my tea. There’s such a realness here—no sugarcoating, no fake apology. Just a snapshot of what it’s actually like.
Wish I had known in my teens / School teachers they were so mean. That part hit hard. How many of us grew up thinking we were lazy or bad or broken—when it was ADHD the whole damn time? Refused me and kicked me outta class / Turned around and said “kiss my ass.” That’s the energy. That’s the reclaiming moment we all wish we’d had back then.
And Mareya knows the power of vibe. “There was a choice that had to be made when writing the song—do I make it a ballad or do I make it fun? If I make it fun, does it invalidate the experience?” she says. “I chose to make the song mostly fun and upbeat… I wanted fellow ADHDer’s to at least have something upbeat and feel good to bop to… I chose to have a slow and softer bridge section to honour the pain, sadness and frustration.”
That softer bridge lands hard—“I ruined the moment again… yeah it’s past 5am and I can’t sleep again.” Oh, we’ve BEEN there. The tempo drops, the beat pulls back, and it hits you right in that late-night spiral where you can’t turn your brain off, no matter how badly you want to.
“Wish I could call a friend / But I don’t wanna burden them.” Wow. That one got me. The isolation, the frustration, the endless nights wired and exhausted at the same time—we all know that space.
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What I love most? The way Mareya flips it around by the end. The chorus starts personal—“It’s not me, it’s my ADHD”—but by the outro, she’s singing directly to YOU: “It’s not you, it’s your ADHD.”
It’s such a generous moment—she’s danced through her own chaos, and now she’s reaching back for us. It’s not you, it’s your ADHD. Damn right, girl.
Mareya’s vocals are clean and expressive—she sells every line with the right mix of sass and vulnerability. And the production matches her energy perfectly: synthy, sparkly, and just a little chaotic in the best way. You can hear her influences, but this is no clone act—Mareya is carving her own lane with this one.
I’ve had this track on loop all day and it just keeps hitting. Whether you’re deep in your own ADHD feels or you’re trying to understand a friend who is, this one’s worth a spin. Mareya’s making space for the messiness and the magic—and I’m here for it.
